Prince Charming On Trial

Yu Xi quietly glanced over at Si Huang and saw no signs of hostility on his face.

A sweaty assistant pressed a button on the elevator and asked, "Which floor are you headed to?"

Si Huang gave them a look to indicate that they were headed to the same floor.

Then, Guan Li finally spoke up. "Are you going to the film set of 'The Sovereign Journey'?"

Si Huang scanned Guan Li's exquisite, refined face. The color of her eyes was pure. So pure that her eyes were pleasing to behold. Her lips formed a small smile. 

"Mm."

She didn't say much but did not come off as a dull person. That smile of hers rendered Guan Li, who had gotten used to the sight of handsome men, completely breathless. The entertainment industry was crawling with gorgeous men, but none of them was as… pure as the one before her. That's right, he was pure! From his eyes to the essence of his aura, he was so pure that he naturally gave off a pleasing impression. He was a young man who was still living in the confines of the schoolyard, yet he did not carry the impetuousness and restlessness of a young man.

"I've never seen you before. Are you new?" The corners of Guan Li's lips gently curved upward.

The assistants and everyone else around her widened their eyes. Guan Li was well-known for her "ice queen" image and had a cold personality by nature. Her temper wasn't any better either.

She rarely ever spoke so gently to a first-time acquaintance, let alone smile at them. Even if that person's aesthetic value was off the charts, there shouldn't be such a huge difference compared to her usual treatment! Her assistants resentfully grumbled internally.

Yu Xi's eyes flashed with shock too, but he quickly concealed it. He added a note on his internal assessment of Si Huang: He was so unfathomable that he did not seem like a 16-year-old at all.

Si Huang's "pure and wholesome" image had clearly left an impression on Guan Li. The pair continued to chat and smile at each other after stepping out of the elevator and making their way toward the film crew. They did not seem too close or too distant. The proximity between the pair was just right. 

However, as soon as they arrived on set, the pair sensed a peculiar atmosphere. They immediately understood when they saw the old man sitting next to Director Liu. Guan Li instantly wiped the relaxed expression on her face away, and her eyebrows tensed quizzically.

Si Huang, on the other hand, simply raised her brow. Then, she remained calm and polite as she walked toward them.

"Old Tie, this is Si Huang," Director Liu told the old man next to him, as he saw Si Huang and his manager walking toward them as soon as he lifted his head.

This old man was the biggest backer behind "The Sovereign Journey" and was also a veteran in the entertainment industry. The power and influence he had were unimaginable. He had silvery-white hair, and there were three wrinkles on his forehead. However, his complexion had not lost its luster and seemed to be in pretty good shape. He was wearing a loose-fitting, dark blue Tang suit and was holding a walking stick in his hand. He turned to Si Huang and Guan Li upon hearing Director Liu's introduction.

The old man's gaze was not sharp but carried the deep wisdom of years of experience. This made a huge impact on Si Huang. She looked Old Tie in the eye in a magnanimous manner, which was a stark contrast to Guan Li's immediate stiffness. This was because she had done nothing wrong and was therefore fearless.

Si Huang and Guan Li greeted them as they walked toward Old Tie and Director Liu. Both of them were modest and respectful.

Old Tie had a steady gaze. "How old are you?"

No one knew who he was talking to, so Si Huang and Guan Li both replied.

"24," replied Guan Li.

"16," said Si Huang.

"Both children," Old Tie responded.

A hint of unease flashed across Guan Li's eyes. Even though it was true that she was a child compared to Old Tie given her age, Si Huang, who was still a teenager, was different next to her.

"A'qiong is a child," Si Huang replied with a smile.

Old Tie's gaze immediately sharpened like a knife when he heard this. "A'qiong is the greatest product of Shulan's painstaking effort, as well as my gift to her. I will not have this gift blemished in any way."

Si Huang was not frightened by his words. In fact, they served as further assurance for her. This had verified the knowledge that she had obtained from her past life. Shulan was Old Tie's first wife, and the pair were deeply in love. Yu Shulan was a musician, and The Sovereign Journey was the only book she had ever written. She had poured all of her passion into it. According to the rumors, Yu Shulan had created the characters in the novel by drawing inspiration from her real-life experiences, especially Mr. Qianji—whom she had made the most effort to painstakingly create. 

The book wasn't supposed to be brought to life, but Yu Shulan's health had been deteriorating over the past few years. Old Tie wanted to fulfill her heart's desire and present her effort before her very eyes. The importance of this film had a lot of implications, so Si Huang had been determined to be involved from the very beginning. She also believed that Si Zhihan would have no way of stopping her anyway. Furthermore, as an actor, she sincerely loved the character of Mr. Qianji.

"Since you're here, you can start shooting this scene," Old Tie said as he tossed the script to them.

He didn't ask for Si Huang or Guan Li's opinion. His position or their positions as actors did not matter—they couldn't refuse an order from their boss anyway.

"Move it! Get into your costumes!" Director Liu immediately barked. "Everyone else set the scene."

Old Tie's decision might seem to have come at the last minute, but Director Liu had known about it. That was why he had already set the scene and props earlier on, so there wouldn't be any last-minute mishaps. He secretly shot Si Huang a look, indicating that she needed to be on the ball.

Despite witnessing Si Huang's acting prowess, he had not forgotten that Si Huang was still a teenager. What if she lost her nerve under Old Tie's pressure? That would be a catastrophe.

Si Huang and Guan Li were hauled to their respective dressing rooms. Guan Li had a personal makeup artist in her entourage, but Si Huang had to use the makeup artist of the film crew.

Her makeup artist was a young woman around 25 to 26 years old. She was holding a powder puff in her hand and was just about to powder Si Huang's face when she hesitated and clicked her tongue. "Ah, you're lucky you're young. This is exactly what a baby's skin looks like! What kind of skincare products do you use? Your skin is perfectly soft and smooth. I don't think we should use any powder on you at all, or you'd look too pale."

Si Huang chuckled shyly in reply.

The makeup artist stared at him in silence for one second, and her eyes sparkled as if she was bursting with inspiration. She changed the makeup that she was holding in her hand and meticulously applied Si Huang's makeup.

However, a gentle touch-up would be a more accurate way of describing the process. She wasn't giving him a beauty-enhancing touch-up. She made him look sicklier instead. After all, Mr. Qianji had a frail body and was always in a wheelchair. His complexion shouldn't look as robust as Si Huang's. 

'I've never heard of anyone using makeup to make someone look uglier before! We'd usually try to enhance their looks! But a beautifully fragile, sickly patient can be attractive too! How I wish I could hold him in my arms and lap him up!!!' the makeup artist exclaimed internally as she finished the job.

Si Huang opened her eyes. "Is it finished?"

"Ah? Yes! Just put on your costume and wig and you'll be all set!" The makeup artist squeaked.

"Thank you." Si Huang thanked the makeup artist as she got up and headed into the changing room.